This Saturday we are featuring an assortment of very fine Northern California wines at substantial discount; reflecting at the least a savings of 25%. Three whites and three reds, all different varietals, will make up the tasting event. Next week we will once again be visited by a representative of importer Quintessential Wines. There will be wines from France and Argentina, and, as the company represents some California wineries as well, we’ve chosen a big red from Sonoma County and another from Napa.

2008 Chateau Julien Pinot Grigio, CarmelSpecial price 11.95The winery began producing Pinot Grigio with the first Estate Vineyard harvest in 1998. It has been growing in popularity ever since. Cold fermented using Pris de Mousse yeast and bottled directly from stainless steel tanks six months after harvest, this wine is consistently clean and straightforward upon release. It is a pleasant fruit-forward wine with fresh melon and lively peach aromas to complement crisp citrus flavors. Its full texture is ripe through the finish with good acidity and balance.

2007 Dry Creek Vineyard Fumé Blanc, SonomaSpecial price 9.99At first swirl, the 2007 vintage presents intense aromas of lemon-lime, ruby grapefruit and fresh cut grass. After a couple of minutes in the glass, more subtle hints of kiwi and guava begin to reveal a complex wine. On the palate, this wine is truly delicious with excellent viscosity and length showing more fresh fruit flavors and a very balanced acidity. This amazing wine won the Sweepstakes Award for white wines at the prestigious Sonoma County Harvest Fair. Imagine this ten dollar wine outclassing all the great Northern California Chardonnays.

2005 Silverado Vineyards Chardonnay, Vineburg, CarnerosSpecial price 19.99This is the second vintage for Silverado from this wonderful vineyard. The winemaker created a food friendly Chardonnay by fermenting in stainless steel barrels and stirring the lees weekly, to retain freshness and build mid-palate texture. Up front the wine shows apple and orange blossom aromas proceeding to vanilla and oak in the background. Stone and mineral aromas echo on the palate. The balanced acidity and a silky mid-palate lead to a zesty finish that leaves you wanting more.

2007 Ramsay Winery Pinot Noir, North CoastSpecial price 14.99The very excellent winemaker for this wine is Kent Rasmussen of Napa. The Ramsay label is actually his second label but the wine in the bottle is a good indicator of what he can do with this grape. The nose shows classic Pinot Noir notes of raspberry and cherry, with lots of earthiness and lovely toasty oak. The mouth explodes with blueberry, Bing cherry, anise and toast. Even more striking is the depth and richness of the mouth-feel. The wine is very fruity, with blackberry characters and a big, rich, tarry and solid balance. The warm mantle of oak is refined and quite opulent.

2001 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon, NapaSpecial price 24.99The history of Freemark Abbey began in 1886, when Josephine Marlin Tychson became the first woman to build and operate a winery in California. The historic site where Josephine’s winery, Tychson Cellars, once stood is now known as Freemark Abbey. The 2001 Cabernet displays nuances of dark cherry and nicely-integrated oak with a background of black currant and cassis. It has a very fruitful entry, is crisp, with a long finish, and promises a long life of enjoyment.​2006 August Briggs Zinfandel, Old Vine, NapaSpecial price 27.00Owner August “Joe” Briggs started out as a Pinot Noir specialist first at Alpine Vineyards in Oregon and then at La Crema in Sonoma County. In 2002 Joe located a small parcel of land on the southern edge of Calistoga, and built a simple but state-of-the-art winery there that is his home today. This Zin is very fragrant with rose, perfume, and black cherry as well as hints of leather and cedar. On the palate it is flashy and expressive with flavors of wild berries, currant, and mocha. The finish is long and chocolaty. This is classic California Zin from two old and venerable vineyards in Napa Valley.